Console Corner: Street Fighter V Arcade Edition review

No beating around the bush this week because Street Fighter fans rejoice, we finally have a title worthy of this cornerstone of video gaming.

Let’s have it right, SFV Arcade Edition is what we should have got on launch. But as the old saying goes it’s better late than never and this is as close as it gets to Street Fighter perfection.

Damien Lucas, gaming columnist

The original Street Fighter V barely scraped a 7 or 8 in review scores when it was released back in 2016 and with good reason as the game simply felt unfinished.

While the gameplay, fighting mechanics and action were all up to scratch the original really was the barebones and the source of much embarrassment for Capcom.

Two years on plenty of meat and muscle has been added to those bones in the form of Street Fighter V Arcade Edition (out now).

With the new Arcade Edition - which is unlike anything we have seen before in Street Fighter - substantial new modes and game-changing V-trigger moves mean Capcom has finally delivered a game that can sit comfortably amongst the best ever in this standard-bearing gargantuan series.

Anyone who already owns the original game will get the Arcade Edition as a free update.

With it comes a host of new content and modes, a slicker user interface and the 12 DLC characters so far (plus Sagat is coming back to the roster - I have been in a two-year sulk at his omission).

In the brilliant arcade mode, players get to relive all 30 years of Street Fighter history and can choose between six different paths that each represent a main title in the series.

Each path remains true to its respective title, containing the relevant characters, costumes, and music, in order to further celebrate Street Fighter’s 30th anniversary year. Your Arcade Score is also uploaded to monthly leaderboards where the top player will receive a unique title. Another really cool addition is over 200 amazing ending illustrations from various artists, which can be collected in Arcade Mode by fulfilling certain requirements.

Arcade mode and the new V-Triggers are the crowning achievements here and help re-energise the entire offering from single player to multiplayer.

Let’s have it right, SFV Arcade Edition is what we should have got on launch. But as the old saying goes it’s better late than never and this is as close as it gets to Street Fighter perfection.